Flights to Japan: Airlines, Airports and Finding the Best Fares

Japan has several international airports worth knowing about, and choosing the right one — both to fly into and out of — can significantly affect the shape of your trip. Tokyo is not the only option.

Japan’s Main International Airports

Tokyo Narita (NRT) handles the majority of long-haul international traffic to Tokyo. The catch: it’s 60km from central Tokyo, which means a 50–90 minute journey by train (Narita Express or Keisei Skyliner) or 60–90 minutes by bus depending on traffic. It’s efficient once you know the system, but the distance adds time on both ends of a trip.

Tokyo Haneda (HND) is the other Tokyo airport, located much closer to the city — roughly 20–30 minutes from central Tokyo by monorail or Keikyu Line. Long-haul routes to Haneda have expanded significantly over the past decade, and for most visitors it’s the more convenient option when available. Airlines that fly direct to Haneda include Japan Airlines, ANA, British Airways, and others.

Osaka Kansai (KIX) serves the Kansai region — Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe. If your trip focuses on Kansai rather than Tokyo, flying into Kansai rather than Tokyo saves a shinkansen leg and reduces jet-lag travel time. It’s connected to Osaka city centre by the Haruka Express (75 minutes) and to Kyoto (about 75 minutes direct).

Fukuoka (FUK) is the gateway to Kyushu. It has fewer long-haul services, but if your itinerary starts or ends in southern Japan, it’s worth checking.

Sapporo New Chitose (CTS) serves Hokkaido. Most international visitors connecting to Hokkaido fly Tokyo–Sapporo domestically, but a small number of direct international services exist, particularly from Korea and China.

Airlines Flying from the UK and Europe

Japan Airlines (JAL) and ANA both operate direct flights from London Heathrow to Tokyo (Haneda and Narita). Both are full-service carriers with long-haul cabins that hold up well on the 12-hour flight.

British Airways flies direct from Heathrow to Tokyo Haneda. Booking early often yields competitive fares, particularly in off-peak seasons.

Finnair routes via Helsinki, often with competitive fares and a comfortable business class if that matters. The Helsinki hub adds around 2–3 hours to total journey time compared to a true direct flight.

Qatar Airways via Doha is another popular connecting route, with strong frequency and good premium cabin options.

Korean Air and Asiana route via Seoul Incheon. The connection can add time, but fares are often lower than direct options.

The Open-Jaw Strategy

Japan is one of the best destinations in the world for an open-jaw itinerary — flying into one city and out of another.

The classic option: fly into Tokyo, travel the country westward by shinkansen (Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima), and fly home from Osaka Kansai. This eliminates backtracking to Tokyo at the end of your trip, saves a shinkansen fare, and often costs no more than a return to Tokyo.

Variations: fly into Fukuoka, travel north through Kyushu and Hiroshima, exit from Tokyo. Or fly into Tokyo, detour to Hokkaido, return via Tokyo — less ideal but still useful for positioning purposes.

Search specifically for open-jaw combinations on Aviasales, which handles them well and often surfaces cheaper combinations than searching two separate one-ways. Once you’ve landed, see our guide to getting around Japan for Shinkansen, IC cards, and airport transfer options.

When to Book

For a standard Japan trip, booking 3–5 months ahead generally produces the best fares. Booking windows of less than 6 weeks before departure tend to see fares rise sharply.

Cherry blossom season (late March to mid-April) is Japan’s peak travel period. Fares begin rising as early as November for that window. If cherry blossom is the priority, book in December or January.

Golden Week (late April to early May) is a major Japanese public holiday period when domestic transport and accommodation is heavily booked. International fares also tend to rise.

Autumn foliage (November) is an increasingly popular season. Fares are typically lower than cherry blossom but rising year on year.

Finding and Comparing Fares

Aviasales aggregates fares across airlines and booking sites, including low-cost carriers and combinations that individual airline sites won’t show. It’s useful for:

• Comparing direct vs. one-stop fares on the same route
• Searching open-jaw itineraries (different in/out airports)
• Setting price alerts for a specific route
• Checking which booking site has the lowest fee for the same fare

Search with flexible dates if your schedule allows — shifting departure by two or three days often surfaces meaningfully lower fares, particularly around weekends.